Today on Growing on the High Plains, I thought I'd plant a seed of history about a favorite feat of flair from a former First Lady. I'm talking about the Highway Beautification Act, passed in 1965, which was a visionary project of Lady Bird Johnson.
The law sought to preserve a more scenic view for those traveling across our nation, and it included adding benches to public spaces, cleaning up junkyards and blighted spaces, and also putting controls in place for outdoor advertising and visual clutter. Perhaps the best part, though, was her initiative to plant wildflowers across the roadways.
It's impossible not to be moved by the flash of deep purple of bluebonnets, the flamboyant orange of Indian paintbrush, and the whsiper of white from the Queen Anne's Lace. However, my personal favorite is a perennial called "wine cup." Listen up and find out why this teeny, tulipesque wildflower could be a contender for HPPR's floral mascot!
